Les Arpents: a gastronomic experience in the centre of Amboise

From Tours high school at Les Arpents

It was on the benches of the Albert Bayet hotel school in Tours (Tours) that Franck Breton (the perfect namesake of a winegrower from the Montlouis-sur-Loire appellation, whose bottles can also be found at Les Arpents!) and Jérôme Lognon met. Franck is in the kitchen… to our great delight. He set his sights on gourmet restaurants at a very early age, his aim being to work with and learn from top chefs. His path initially took him to the kitchens of the château des Sept Tours, then to Burgundy to the Auberge de la Charme (1* Michelin guide) and then to the Abbaye de la Bussière (1* Michelin guide). Finally, he returned to the region, where he took up a post at the Hauts de Loire estate (2* in the Michelin guide). It is through these experiences and encounters that he has acquired the rigour, the technique but above all the love of fine products and their enhancement.

Les Arpents : un resto royal à deux pas du château d'Amboise

Jérôme trained at some of the region’s leading brasseries, where he quickly rose through the ranks thanks to his professionalism and his privileged contact with customers. His sole objective: the pleasure of his customers and the promise of a moment of conviviality and sharing. And they’ve kept their promise! It’s very pleasant to enjoy attentive, warm, knowledgeable service: from explanations of dishes and the provenance of products to suggestions for wines, here the notion of service takes on its full meaning. And when it’s in good humour, with a touch of humour, it’s perfect.

Near Les Arpents restaurant Discover Amboise

Amboise

The Loire by bike

Château du Clos Lucé - Parc Leonardo da Vinci

Caves Ambacia

Hôtel Le Clos d'Amboise

Restaurant Berthelot

Entre terres royales et eaux sauvages

Chocolaterie Bigot - Visite dégustation

La Pagode de Chanteloup

Château de Pray

Les Ecuries de Pray

Aquarium de Touraine

Camping municipal de l'île d'or

VVF Les Châteaux de la Loire

Centre Aquatique du Val d'Amboise

Manoir Du Parc

Les Secrets d'Amboise

Loire Aventure, balades libres ou guidées à bord de canoës Canadiens

Au Charme Rabelaisien

SPA Domaine des Thomeaux

Amboise Montgolfière

Chez Oscar & Suzette - Guinguette sur les bords de Loire

L'Ecluse

©Loire mule. Restaurant Les Arpents in Amboise.|Hubert Giblet

©Fish. Restaurant Les Arpents in Amboise.|Hubert Giblet

Extremely large plates gourmet!

The Chef’s fine experience is certainly to be found in what he “sends”. From the starter to the dessert, from the amuse-bouche to the mignardises should I say,everything is perfectly mastered and beautifully presented. The cuisine makes the most of local produce. Franck Breton and his team have chosen to work directly with local producers, from the Loire fisherman (Thierry Bouvet) to the cheese producers, not forgetting the market gardeners and other suppliers who are keen to make the most of local resources. To illustrate my point, here are a few extracts from the current menu that should make your mouth water… and that I have tried with relish for you:

Loire chicken marinated apple style in oil and roasted pistachio: very fine with a subtle blend of textures and flavours
Fish of the day, green asparagus from M. Leroux refreshed with grapefruit and light wild garlic mayonnaise (but don’t look for the latter, it’s served in a little cassolette on the side): perfectly cooked, a plate of pure indulgence!
The first Sologne strawberries, olives and honey from their beehives. What a surprising initiative to incorporate olives into the dessert, but oh so relevant and succulent! By the way, yes, the restaurant has its own beehives…

Highlights restaurant Les Arpents

Reason #1

A perfectly mastered cuisine offering good value for money.

Reason #2

A friendly atmosphere

Reason #3

Its location in the centre of Amboise.

For your pleasure eyes

Canette marinated in Loire Garum, foie gras mousse… hidden under crisp vegetables!
Loire carp biscuit, creamy celery, tangy mushrooms and crosnes;
Just snacked scallops, roasted cauliflower with black lemon, seaweed butter ;
Racan squab, fillet roasted on trunk, thigh and giblets in cromesquis, coloured beetroot and coffee sliced jus;
Intense chocolate treat and Muscovado sugar;
Honey candied Granny Smith apple.

So Hubert, do you recommend?

You have no trouble imagining that yes, yes, yes! And it’s not just me, the gastronomic guides also recommend les Arpents, with Michelin awarding it a well-deserved “bib gourmand“. The quality of the dishes combined with the friendly and efficient service certainly make this restaurant one of the best tables in Amboise. Finding it is simple: the Les Arpents restaurant is well located, in the heart of the town, just a stone’s throw from the château royal. You enter the first, very pleasant room, which has just a few tables and houses the cellar. The second room is larger, unfussy but pleasant, and opens onto a pleasant terrace. But it’s not the decor that counts, it’s the food and service. And, to top it all off, the prices are very low for such a level of quality. So needless to say, it’s wise to book well in advance.

From fork to pen

Gourmet and gourmand, Hubert Giblet works in the Val de Loire Terres de Gastronomie association, which organises the Automnales de la Gastronomie festival, as well as gourmet strolls once a month. At the Azay-Chinon Tourist Office, he is also in charge of events initiated as part of the Vignobles & Découvertes label.